Author's Note: Okay, chapter 6. It took me longer than I thought it would because I couldn't get Chuck and Sarah to do what I wanted them to do, but it's done. So, here it is:

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Sarah

"Devon, I'm sorry. I think that's kind of my fault." Chuck said, fully stepping back into the living room.

"Chuck?" Devon's head turned to Chuck. "Bro! You're here!" He moved to envelop Chuck in a bear hug, lifting him off the ground.

"Dev-on... can't breathe..." he squeaked, the feeling of déjà vu was not lost on him.

"Sorry, Chuck," he said as he put him down. "I'm just glad to see you're back safely. It's been too long."

"It's okay. Ellie gave me the same reception earlier," Chuck reassured Devon as he straightened out his shirt.

His attention was drawn to John Casey standing by the wall to Chuck's left. "John? What are you doing here? Did you do that to the door? Are you here for Chuck?" His eyes narrowed and his voice grew dangerous.

"No, Devon. It's okay. Casey's not going to cause any trouble. Are you?"

Casey looked at Chuck's pointed gaze, then to Devon. "I'm not after Chuck. I'm done with that." He paused a moment, then continued, "As for the door, you have Walker to thank for that. I was just going to knock."

Devon looked quizzically at Ellie sitting on the couch looking lost; she shrugged and shook her head. He turned back to Chuck. "Sarah's here too?" He didn't see her in the living room. "Where is she?"

"Uh, well, she's kinda knocked out right now, so she's sleeping it off in my room."

"Sleeping what off?"

"The colonel here shot her with a couple of tranquilizers," Chuck said pointing a thumb at Casey.

Devon inhaled deeply and let it out, "Okay, Chuck. You're going to have to explain some things here."

"Yeah Chuck," added Casey. "Like why I'm not a colonel anymore."

"What?" Chuck was surprised, as were Devon and Ellie. "Okay. Casey, Devon, take a seat. I only want to go over this once."

Devon finally remembered Clara who was still clutching his hand. "You're going to have to give me a minute. I'm going to go put Clara down for her nap."

Chuck took a long look at the little girl at Devon's side and smiled taking in the sight of his little niece. "Sure, but I'm going to want some time to get to know my niece later."

He picked up Clara and pointed to Chuck. "That's your Uncle Chuck. You've talked to him before on the computer, remember?"

Clara appraised Chuck. After a few moments, recognition set in and she nodded her head but said nothing.

"Okay, well, say 'see you later Uncle Chuck.'"

"See you later Uncle Chuck," Clara parroted shyly and quickly buried her face in Devon's shoulder. Chuck smiled.

Devon moved to Clara's room as Casey took a seat on the couch.

-0-

As soon as Devon came back and sat, Casey prompted, "Okay, Bartowski, start talking."

"Where should I start?" He said as he sat in a chair in front of the three.

"How about with why Beckman fired me and said she wasn't going to be a general much longer? What did you do?"

"Why do you assume I did anything?" He asked innocently.

Casey growled.

"Yeah, alright." He smiled. "Why is Beckman not going be a general much longer? Well, I guess my little phone call worked." Casey grunted in question, the other two were just listening. "How many agents do you think have uploaded the Intersect?"

"Dozens," Casey replied.

"What if I told you the number is actually in the hundreds?"

"That's not possible. The program is not that big."

"Really? Are you sure about that?"

"Someone would've noticed that many Intersects walking around."

"If they were all in one place, and if they stuck around long enough, yes; but it doesn't work that way."

"How does it work then?"

"You saw what the Intersect did to Sarah; hasn't it ever occurred to you that the same thing might happen to anyone else that downloads it?"

"No. Walker was never a candidate to be an Intersect host; there's no problem for the suitable candidates."

"That's a lie. No one can handle the Intersect for long. It puts too much strain on the brain of the host. It overheats the brain; eventually the host either goes insane or dies."

"What are you saying?"

"The reason you think there's only dozens instead of the hundreds there actually are, is because those agents don't have a long shelf life. They're shuffled around so no one gets too familiar with them. When one goes down, they're simply replaced with another and no one is the wiser."

Casey growled out, "That's despicable. Even Beckman wouldn't do that."

"What do you think my call was about? She knows I have her with this and, apparently, she doesn't want to stick around to push her luck."

"Why aren't you in the looney bin, then? What makes you so special?"

"Nothing, the fact that I have such a high retention rate just means that I can handle the Intersect longer than most everyone else before it starts affecting me, but eventually it would get me too."

"So, you're gonna go crazy, Bartowski?"

"Thanks to my dad, no." He raised his left wrist. "See this?" He pointed at the silver watch. "He calls it a Governor. It regulates the Intersect and cools my brain. No loosing my marbles for me and it tells time, cool right?"

"I see." Casey was eying him accusingly.

"I didn't lie to you Casey. I only left some stuff out," Chuck said. "Every one of the government's secrets is gone. I did take the Intersect out. I only have the skills part of it. You know: insurance."

Casey begrudgingly responded, "That's a good move I suppose. But what's to stop someone from uploading some more stuff into your head?"

"I didn't lie about that either. This head is closed for business. Nothing can be put in or taken out. Besides, let them try. They won't get far."

"Hmmm."

"As for why she fired you? I don't really know. My guess is she just did it out of spite, for not bringing me in. I'm sorry about that." He sincerely was, Chuck knew how much the job meant to Casey.

"Don't worry about it, I was going to quit anyway. I just needed some answers." That bit of information lit the bulb in Chuck's head.

-0-

They'd been talking for a little more than two hours. Chuck shared his side of things with Casey, while Casey filled in events from his side. Ellie and Devon asked questions once in a while, but mostly just listened to both men recount eight years' worth of memories.

Chuck had been trying to find the best way to broach the subject ever since Casey said he was definitely done with spying. He hadn't settled on anything but decided to just go for it. "Hey Casey?"

"What?"

"There's something else I need to talk to you about. Nothing to do with the government but it does concern you."

"Spit it out."

"I foun-" He stopped when he saw Casey look behind him. He turned and saw Sarah making her way towards them. "Sarah... hey."

She didn't respond, just kept walking towards the couch. Casey got to his feet and stood defensively.

Sarah stopped in front of him and sighed. "Look, Casey, I want to apologize. I overreacted and jumped to conclusions." She was looking apologetic and she stuck her hand out to him. "I'm sorry for throwing you through the door. Are we okay?"

Casey looked down at her hand and back at her. He didn't need any more problems and she seemed to have calmed down. He took her hand to shake it.

As soon as his hand clasped around hers, she pulled him in forcefully and kneed him right in the groin. He fell to his knees and Sarah knocked him to the ground with a punch to his left cheek. "Tranq me again, and this will seem like a slap on the hand," she said calmly. "Now, we're even."

Chuck and Devon instinctively shielded their respective equipment, and cringed. They could feel Casey's pain. Ellie sat; eyes wide in shock.

"Now, you..." She turned her attention to Chuck.

He jumped out of his Chair, backing away. "Sarah, wait. Let's not do something I'm going to regret," He said looking back down at Casey. "Let's just talk. Please, just give me this chance."

"Talk."

"Not here. Let's talk in my room." She rolled her eyes, but gave a consenting nod. "Ellie, when he's feeling better, can you guys show Casey here, how it was we communicated? I'm sure that'll keep him busy while Sarah and I talk."

"Sure," she said moving towards a light switch on the wall.

"I'll call someone to come take a look at that door," Devon added.

"Good idea. We'll join you when we're finished," Chuck said as he and Sarah began to walk to his room. He turned around and whispered, "Whatever you hear, don't come in."

-0-

There was an incredible tension in his room.

Neither of them knew where to begin. Chuck was sitting on the bed, staring at the floor while Sarah paced back and forth, arms crossed over her chest, in front of him.

Finally, Chuck decided he should start by apologizing for how he'd left. "Sarah-"

"Stop," she said, interrupting him. "This is my time. I'll ask the questions, you answer." She looked straight at him. "Understood?"

Chuck nodded but said nothing.

"You're back, Casey's in your sister's living room, and you don't seem scared that they'll come after you. What's changed?" She said, still pacing the room.

"Well..." Chuck started to explain the events of the last twenty-four hours to Sarah.

"I see." Sarah said as she stopped in front of him. "So you think they're going to just let you go? Let your father go?" Her voice betrayed hints of anger.

"No. I'm hoping they will, but I'm not stupid," he replied, looking up at her.

"You think just because you have the Intersect you'll be able to fight them off?" She said, her voice rising.

"That's just a tool. One of many we have." He saw her fists begin to clench. "I wanted my life back, now I have it. No one is going to take it from me again."

"You think it's that easy? You're a big man now that you can fight?" She shouted as her fist flew to his face once again.

Chuck's hand snapped up from his side and caught her fist. "You need to stop doing that Sarah," he said as he held her fist firmly and stood up. "Things have changed. I'm not who I used to be, but no I don't think I'm a big man." He let go and she stepped back. "My dad and I have worked hard for a long time for this. I know exactly how dangerous and difficult this could have been and could still be; we've planned for it."

"Mr. Big Bad Spy, think you have everything figured out!" Her anger was growing with every exchange.

"Is that all you're going to do, insult me?" Chuck felt the annoyance build inside. "What are you even doing here? You're not with the Agency anymore, you have no business here."

"No business? I was trying to keep your family safe from Beckman! I've been watching over them for the last three years! I thought I owed you that much, I was sorely mistaken." She spit out. "I don't owe you a damned thing; you're the one who owes me here!"

"How-"

"You abandoned me!" She cried out, her voice a little unsteady.

Chuck was taken aback. He had been ready to apologize before, but seeing her react like this made him regret leaving her that much more. "Sarah, I-"

"Don't! I chose you. I was ready to give up everything for you and you left me, just like my dad, just like Bryce!" Sarah was throwing everything she could in his face, unfortunately, she went one too far.

Being compared to Bryce Larkin was a slap in the face for Chuck, and any inclination he had to apologize vanished. "How the hell was I supposed to know that Sarah! Through the constant rejection? The lies? Or maybe the manipulation?" Everything he had hated about their relationship was coming to the surface.

"I told you why things had to be the way they were, you never listened, and I never manipulated you!"

"Never manipulated me? You did it the day I ran! You lied to me, used the feelings and trust I had for you to lure me into a trap! Was that what you were doing when you agreed to a date with me when the Beta was coming online? Assuage your conscience of any guilt from letting Casey put a bullet in the back of my head by giving the nerd what he wanted?"

Sarah's eyes went wide as shock spread through her at the revelation.

"Well, it's clear you didn't know about that. That's something at least."

"Of course I didn't know about that! I wouldn't have played any part in Casey killing you, just like I couldn't play a part in putting you in a bunker; I told you we needed to run! I was going to keep you safe!"

"I'm grateful that you gave me a warning; but being a last-second, backed into a corner choice doesn't sit well with me. From where I stand, it doesn't seem like you were quite that ready to give everything up for me." Chuck wasn't shouting now, but his voice was still harsh. "If you had had time to think things through back then, can you honestly say that you would have made the same choice?"

Sarah wanted to say yes, but she couldn't be sure. She was a different person back then. Those thought processes were no longer hers.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Chuck went to sit back on the bed and rubbed his hands over his face. Calming down, he began again, "Let me ask you something else."

"What?" This conversation was emotionally exhausting her, but she wasn't ready to back down just yet.

"If I had gone with you, did you have a plan for what we would do?'

"We would've gone after your dad. You knew where he was being held."

"After that? Say we succeeded in rescuing him, what then?"

"I don't know; I would've come up with something."

"Say I told you I had a plan, would you have listened to me or would you have ignored me because you didn't see me as competent?" He eyed her carefully, knowing she was getting ready to lie. "Tell me the truth. I'll know if you lie."

She knew the answer to this one: No. She wouldn't have given his plan any merit. She would have ignored it; once she was in the mind set of protecting an asset that had no business in the spy world, she was in charge and only she had a say. "Sorry, Chuck, but you had no experience in those situations. You wouldn't have known what to do."

"That's what I expected you would say. And, I suppose, every move after that would have been up to you? All I would've been good for is following your orders?"

"I would have kept you alive Chuck!"

"I think I'm doing just fine," he argued. "I had a plan. I used it and it worked, hell, I've even gotten to come back to my family!" He took a breath to calm down. "Can you tell me that if I'd gone with you I would have ever seen my family again?"

"No, I can't. You probably never would have seen them again." Softly, she continued, "But we would've been together... why wasn't I enough?"

He exhaled, exasperated. "Come on, Sarah. You know that's not it." He focused his gaze on hers, "I wanted you to be enough; you easily could have been, but you never let me in. You knew everything about me. I had no idea who you actually were. Sarah Walker isn't even your real name; it's just some alias you use." He wanted her to understand. "I don't even know what you're calling yourself now. Can you really not see how I could've done what I did in a moment of panic, when you were practically a stranger to me? Everything caught up with me and I wasn't willing to trust someone who didn't trust me in return anymore."

She quietly considered everything Chuck had said for a couple of minutes; then finally said, "My name is Sarah Walker."

"So, you still won't tell me your real name..." He sighed dejectedly.

"That is my real name." She continued before he could speak, "It may not be my birth name, but it's who I've been for the last eighteen years, it's who I'll be for the rest of my life."

"You told me that was just an alias."

"It used to be, but when I left the Agency, I made it official." She moved to sit next to Chuck. "Sarah Walker had the Harvard degree; she had the job experience, the history. None of my other identities had that and I wasn't running. It was an easy choice to make." She turned to look at him. "I never felt more like myself than when I was Sarah Walker, so that's who I officially am."

"Oh. Thank you for telling me all that; seems like I'm not the only one who's changed. I didn't have to pry it out of you or anything." He smiled.

"Well, like you said: I've changed." She smiled back.

"Listen, Sarah, there's something I wanted to talk to you about. I didn't think I'd be doing it this soon, but we're here."

"What is it?"

Chuck was suddenly nervous. "Before I say anything else, are you... with anyone?"

"You mean another agency?"

"No, I mean, uh... is there a significant other in the picture?" He gestured with his hand.

"Oh... No!" She quickly added, "I mean, not at the moment. I haven't exactly had time for dating recently." She was fiddling with her nails.

"Okay." He brushed the back of his neck with his hand. "Is there... can we..." He took a breath and started again, "I know we made a huge mess of things Sarah, but I've never stopped thinking about you. Do you think there's still a chance for us?"

"I don't know, Chuck." She sighed. "I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about you too, but we have a lot of baggage between the two of us."

"You know, I can still be your very own baggage handler," he joked.

Sarah laughed lightly. "Well, I think I may be ready to give you that job now, so we may just have a chance."

"That's all I'm asking for," he replied.

"So... what now?"

"Well, right now, we should go join the others. There are some things I want to show you, and then I want to spend some time with my niece." She nodded. "I'd like you to stay for dinner. I'm going to ask Casey, too."

"I don't know about that."

He reached over and put his hand over hers, "Please. I promise no one will give you any problems once we straighten everything out."

"Okay, I'll stay." She had missed spending time with these people.

Chuck spoke again as she moved to stand. "Sarah?"

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow... will you have dinner with me?" He asked apprehensively, he didn't know if he should ask so soon.

"No."

"What?" Surprise and hurt laced his voice.

"We have a lot to talk about, Chuck. I think it would be better if you came over to my place and we got take out. That way there'll be no one to interrupt us and we can talk freely." She looked down into his eyes.

Chuck smiled, understanding. She still wasn't comfortable talking about feelings in front of others. "Okay, that sounds good too."

"Can I ask you something?"

Chuck saw shyness in her as she spoke. "Sure."

"Do you think... I can have... a hug?" She seemed really vulnerable.

He couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Of course."

Chuck got up to embrace Sarah; he didn't see the fist coming straight at his stomach. It connected dead center and drove the air from his lungs. "Umpf..." His eyes were wide with shock.

He fell back on the bed, Sarah looked down at him, "That is what you get for not only letting Casey tranq me, but restraining me while he did it." She turned and started walking out of the room.

"Sorry..." he grunted out.

-0-

Author's Note: I don't even know where to take this anymore, so I'm thinking one, maybe two more chapters then I'm done with this one.